Pippin

	?		Consensus
30	28	4

Synopsis

Ganked from Wikipedia.

Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto. The show was based on the life of Pippin the Hunchback, the son of Charlemagne.

Synopsis

The play begins with a leading player of a troupe and the actors in various costume pieces of several different time periods. The Leading Player invites the audience to join them in a story about a boy prince searching for fulfillment ("Magic to Do"). They reveal that the boy who is to play the title character is a new actor. Pippin tells the scholars of the time about his dreams ("Corner of the Sky"), and they happily applaud Pippin on his ambitious quest for an extraordinary life. Pippin then returns home to the castle and estate of Charlemagne (King Charles), his father. Charles and Pippin don't get a chance to communicate often, as they are interrupted by nobles, soldiers, and couriers vying for Charles' attention ("Welcome Home"), and Charles is clearly uncomfortable speaking with his educated son or expressing any loving emotions. Pippin also meets up with his stepmother Fastrada, and her dim-witted son Lewis. Charles and Lewis are planning on going into battle against the Visigoths soon, and Pippin begs Charles to take him along so as to prove himself. Charles reluctantly agrees and proceeds to explain a battle plan to his men ("War is a Science").

Once in battle, the Leading Player re-enters to lead the troupe in a mock battle using top hats, canes, and fancy jazz as to glorify warfare and violence ("Glory"). This charade of war does not appeal to Pippin, and the boy flees into the countryside. The Leading Player tells the audience of Pippin's travel through the country, until he stops at his exiled grandmother's estate ("Simple Joys"). There, Berthe (his grandmother, and Charles' mother, exiled by Fastrada) tells Pippin not to be so serious and to live a little ("No Time At All"). Pippin takes this advice and decides to search for something a bit more lighthearted ("With You"). He soon discovers that relationships without love leave you "empty and unfulfilled."

The Leading Player then tells Pippin that perhaps he should fight tyranny, and uses Charles as a perfect example of an unenlightened tyrant to fight. Pippin plans a revolution, and Fastrada is delighted to hear that perhaps Charles and Pippin will both perish so that her beloved Lewis can become king. Fastrada arranges the murder of Charles, and Pippin falls victim to her plot ("Spread a Little Sunshine"). While Charles is praying at Arles, Pippin murders him, and becomes the new king ("Morning Glow"). However, after petitions from the masses, Pippin realizes that neither he nor his father could change society and had to act as tyrants. He begs the Leading Player to bring his slain father back to life, and the Leading Player does so.

Pippin is left without direction until the Leading Player inspires him ("On the Right Track"). After experimenting with art and religion, he travels and stumbles upon an estate owned by Catherine ("Kind of Woman"), a widow, with a small boy, Theo. From the start, it is clear that the Leading Player is concerned with Catherine's actual attraction to Pippin—after all, she is but a player playing a part in his yet-to-be-unfolded plan. At first, Pippin thinks himself above such boring manorial duties as sweeping, repairs, and milking cows ("Extraordinary"), but eventually he comforts Theo on the sickness and eventual death of his pet ("Prayer for a Duck") and warms up to the lovely Catherine ("Love Song"). However, as time goes by, Pippin feels that he must leave the estate to continue searching for his purpose. Catherine is heartbroken, and reflects on him (much to the Leading Player's anger and surprise) ("I Guess I'll Miss the Man").

All alone on a stage, Pippin is surrounded by the Leading Player and the various troupe members. They all suggest that Pippin complete the most perfect act ever: the Finale. They tell Pippin to jump into a box of fire, light himself up, and "become one with the flame." Pippin is reluctant, but agrees that perhaps suicide is the best way to go ("Finale"), but he is stopped by his natural misgivings and also by one actress from the troupe—the woman playing Catherine. Catherine and her son Theo stand by Pippin and defy the script, the Leading Player, and Fastrada. Pippin comes to the realization that the widow's home was the only place where he was truly happy ("Magic Shows and Miracles") "....I never came close my love". After removing the sets, lighting, makeup, and costumes from the stage (to no success at dissuading Pippin), The Leading Player becomes furious and calls off the show, telling the rest of the troupe and the orchestra to pack up and leave Pippin, Catherine, and her son alone on an empty, dark and silent stage. Pippin realizes that he has given up his extraordinary purpose for the simplest and most ordinary life of all, and he is finally a happy man.

Alternate Ending

The currently licensed edition of Pippin has a slightly different ending. After Pippin avers his contentment with a simple life with Catherine, Theo remains on stage and sings the chorus of "Corner of the Sky", after which the Leading Player and the troupe return to begin work on this new prospect. Current productions vary between the two possible endings.

Characters

Primary characters are the 40 characters necessary to the game. Secondary characters are 25 more characters that enhance the game and make it even better. Both primary and secondary characters wil be fuly playable and meaningful to the game Second tier characters will be added to the game if we get more than 65 players and will be moved to primary or secondary as appropriate. Backup characters will be given to players as a "second character" so players can attend events their primary characters wouldn't be at.

Dream Casting

Have you ever seen a show and started casting your friends into the parts in your head? Well, now you can vote on who you would cast into whom. The only caveats are that you and your targets must be registered in the Lullaby of Broadway database, although they don't have to be signed up for the event.

Note: Dream Casting is just a fun exercise and is *not* a guarantee of casting for the game.

Want to dream cast? Log in then select the red Dream Cast link from the Player Menu tab!

External Media

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